Cybersecurity Incident Response
Update on Vendor Payments
Telephone Lines - Call 546-CITY
The Customer Contact Centre is operational and available to take phone calls at 905-546-2489 (CITY).
City of Hamilton Accounts Payable Payment Platform – Plooto
On February 25, 2024, the City of Hamilton experienced a cybersecurity incident that temporarily impacted several of our IT systems, including those related to payment processes. This disruption has, unfortunately, delayed payments to our valued vendors, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate your patience and understanding over the past several weeks.
To address these disruptions, we are pleased to share the launch of a short-term Accounts Payable payment platform called Plooto, effective May 28, 2024. Plooto is a well-established, secure, and reliable platform that will help us resume crucial payment operations while we transition to a permanent solution.
Please note, during this transition, you may notice some changes in the appearance of your payments. For example, payments made by cheque will feature “Plooto” branding, along with City of Hamilton branding, and electronic fund transfers will include “Plooto” on your remittances, along with City of Hamilton branding. Rest assured that these changes will not affect the amounts you receive.
Vendors who have questions or require further assistance can reach out for vendor support at [email protected] or by calling the Customer Contact Cetre at 905-546-2489.
Frequently Asked Questions
Payments will now appear from 'Plooto.'
You may notice some slight visual differences, such as the appearance of “Plooto” branding on cheques and electronic remittances/statements. (Note: the changes will not affect the payment amounts you receive; these remain unchanged.)
There will be a 3 to 5 day processing period from the receipt of the remittance of the electronic payment and the time you will see the amount recorded in your banking system.
Payments to vendors will continue.
The system change will not affect the payment amounts you receive.
With this positive step, in the coming weeks staff will be processing outstanding payments and then proceeding with the regular payment schedule.
Updates will be provided as they become available.
Following a review and consultation with external experts, Plooto was chosen by the City as a way to resume key City payment operations.
It was selected because of its efficiency, ease of use, quick implementation, safety, security, and reliability.
Plooto supports over 10,000 organizations in North America, offering safe, secure, and reliable payment solutions.
Yes. Plooto is compliant with strict security protocols, ensuring that customers can trust the platform for secure payment transactions. The system prioritizes security, and the platform uses industry-standard encryption to safeguard financial data.
Payments using the new system will commence on May 28. It is estimated that this platform will be live for a short period of time, as we resolve the incident. As a result, you may notice some slight differences, most obviously with the appearance of “Plooto” branding in some cases when receiving payment.
Payments using Plooto will commence on May 28. It is estimated that this platform will be live for a short period of time, as we transition to a permanent payment solution. As a result, you will notice some slight differences, most obviously with the appearance of “Plooto” branding in some cases when receiving payment.
As the City processes the outstanding payments, we thank you and ask for your extended patience in the interim period. We understand the importance of timely payments and appreciate your patience while we try and get all outstanding payments processed.
Although our investigation and response are ongoing, the incident is contained, our systems are secure, and any related risk is contained.
If you have any questions or require further assistance, please contact our vendor support by emailing [email protected] or by calling the Customer Contact Centre at 905-546-2489. We are here to assist you!
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